NGC

Ministry of Environment & Forests, Govt. of India has initiated National Green Corps (NGC) programme for implementation through the mechanism of Eco-Clubs set up in schools from Class V-XII all over the country. Under this scheme 250 schools have been selected from each district. Each school is being provided financial aid of Rs. 2,500/- per year. Besides, trainings and re-trainings are conducted for Incharge-teachers and resource material on environment aspects is provided to each school.

Objectives of the scheme are:-

1.

To make children understand environment and environmental problems.

2.

To provide environmental education opportunities for school children.

3.

To utilize the unique position of school children as conduits for awareness of the society at large.

4.

To facilitate children's participation in decision making in areas related to environment & development.

5.

To bring children into direct contact with the environmental problems facing the society they live in and make them think of solutions.

6.

To involve children in action based programmes related to environment in their surroundings.

Each NGC school has constituted eco-clubs of 30-35 students to take up environment awareness activities under the supervision of eco-club incharge teacher. In all 5500 schools in Punjab will be covered under this programme in 2012-13 as compared to 5000 schools in previous financial year; 500 schools increased this year with the induction of two new districts i.e Pathankot and Fazilka.

Schools are suggested to take up following activities:

1.

Organise seminars, debate, lectures & popular talks on environmental issues in the school.

2.

Field visits to environmentally important sites including polluted and degraded sites, wildlife parks, etc.

3.

Organise rallies, marches, human chains and street theater at public places with a view to spread environmental awareness.

4.

Action based activities like tree plantation, cleanliness drives both within and outside the school campus.